Collapsing display stand



June 2 1929- o. J. TOWELL COLLAPSING DISPLAY STAND Filed Nov. 11, 1925 I-NVENTOR Oscar J .Towell ATTORNEY Patented June 25, 1929.

OSCAR J. TOWELL, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIIGNOR NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION TO ROBERT GAIR COMPANY, F 01 NEW YORK.

COLLAPSING DISPLAY STAND.

Application filed November 11, 1925. Serial No. 68,344.

This invention relates to display devices and more particularly to collapsible display stands or easels for exhibiting articles to prospective purchasers,though it is noted that the invention is not limited to collapsible stands nor in some respects even to display devices.

One object of the invention is to provide an ornamental device of this kind which may be made from a single one-piece blank and assembled without the aid of fasteners or adhesives.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which may be folded flat and quickly and easily changed from folded to assembled position or vice versa.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which will stand firmly and provide a firm support for the article displayed.

Other objects of the invention are to improve generally the simplicity and efliciency of such devices and to provide a device of this kind which is economical to manufacture and assemble, and which is efficient, economical, durable and reliable in operation.

Still other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds; and while herein details of the invention are described and claimed, the invention is not limited to these, since many and various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed in the broader claims.

The invention features for the accomplishment of these and other objects are shown herein in connection with an improved display stand which, briefly stated, includes an upper panel, a forwardly and downwardly inclined brace portion hingedly joining the lower edge of the panel and having a cut-out portion leaving a downwardly pointing strut extension on the panel and a base hingedly joining said panel and disposed under the brace portion and provided near its rear edge with a slot receiving said extension. Said cut-out portion forms a recess for the reception of the exhibited article seated on the base against said panel and extension.

In the accompanying drawing, showing by way of example, one of many possible embodiments of the invention,

Figs. 1 and 2 are front and end elevations showing the display stand with an article displayed thereby;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental transverse vertical sectional View, partly in elevation, showing the strut, extension, stop flap and associatd parts, said section being taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow of said line;

Fig. 4 is a face View blank; and

Fig. 5 is a fraginental side edge elevation showing the stand folded for temporary storing.

My display stand is made from a single, one-piece substantially rectangular cardboard blank 5 (Fig. 4) of ornamental contour at the upper end 6.

Said stand comprises an upper display panel 7 adapted to receive advertising and the like, a base 8 and a forwardly and downwardly inclined brace portion 10 hingedly jo ning the lower edge of the panel at a pair ot short transverse alined scorings 11 (Figs. land 4) extending to the side edges of the blank parallel to its upper and lower edges and spaced apart at their inner ends. Said brace portion has a pair of longitudinal cuts 12 oining said inner ends and extending parallel to said side edges and having their lower ends near the lower edge 13 of the brace portion, and a transverse cut 14 joining said lower ends thereby to form a cut-out recess 15 and leaving a downwardly pointing freehanging strut extension 16 on the lower edge of the panel.

The base 8 supports the display stand ona counter or other support and joins the front edge 13 of said brace portion by a fold line extending parallel to and a distance from the lower edge 17 of the blank. The base 8 is disposed rearwardly under the brace portion 10 and is provided near its edge 17 with a slot 18 (Fig. 3) receiving the free end of the strut extension 16 to hold the panel in upright position, and exposing the intrainarginal portion of the base to form a seat for the reception of articles 20 to be displayed.

The lower end of the strut extension 16 has a pair of alined transverse score lines 22 near and parallel to the lower edge of the extension and extending to the side edges of the extension and spaced apart at their inner ends and joined to an arcuate cut 23 curved away from said lower edge whereby the lower end of the extension may be bentat said lines 22 to be transverse to the extension to form stop flap 25 adapted to rest on said counter or other support to hold the extension and panel upright and to engage under showing the one-piece the base to prevent the extension from leaving the slot when the free end of the extension is inserted therein.

The slot 18 is adapted to slide upon the extension 16 to near said panel, to permitthe base to lie substantially fiat against and between the brace portion 10 and the extension, with the flap 25 lying approximately in the plane of the extension, as in Fig. 5, in position for temporary packing or storing. From this position the base quickly drops down upon the extension when the panel is suspended, whereupon the base engages the arcuate portion 26 of the flap and flattens the flap against the base with the stand in display position as in Figs. 1 to 3.

When extreme compactness for shipping or storing is required, the stand is flattened out as in Fig. at.

The operation of the stand is very simple, and is obvious from the foregoing. It will he usually shipped and received laid out flat as in Fig. 4.

In order to mount the stand, the brace portion 10 is bent forwardly on the scorings 11, the base 8 is bent rearwardly on the fold line 13, the strut extension is passed through the slot 18, the flap 25 bent atright angles on the lines 22 and the base moved down against the flap.

In this position, the base 8 is placed on the counter or other support, and the article 20 to be displayed is placed in the recess opening 15 on the base against the strut extension and panel.

For temporarily collapsing the stand, as for instance, on closing at night, the parts are merely moved tothe position of Fig. 5. They are moved back to the position of Fig. 2 merely by suspending the panel upright and shaking the movable parts down.

I claim as my invention:

1. A display stand formed by folding and having a display panel, a supporting base having a free end edge, a brace portion foldably connected to the panel and said base, and a free-hanging strut extension on the panel, the brace portion having side portions spaced apart by said extension, the supporting base being foldable to position underlying the brace portion so that the free end edge of the supporting base is located rearwardly of the line of foldable connection ofthe brace portion to the panel and the panel is substantially at right angles to the supporting base when the panel is in display position, said extension when the supporting base is thus positioned being engageable with the base for maintaining the panel in display position and cooperating with the braceportion for providing space on-thesupporting base between the side portions of the brace portion for receiving an article for display.

2. A display stand formed by folding and having a display panel, a supporting base having a free end edge and a slot near said edge, a brace portion foldably connected to the panel and said base, and a free-hanging strut extension on the panel having stop means on its end, the brace portion having side portions spaced apart by said extension, the supporting basebeing foldabie to position underlying the brace portion so that the free end edge of the supporting base is located rearwardly of the line of foldable connection of the brace portion to the panel and the panel is substantially at right angles to the supporting base when the panel is in display position, the stop means of the strut extension when the-supporting base is thus positioned being engageable in the slot of the supporting base for maintaining the panel in display position and said extension cooperating with the brace portion for providing space on the supporting base between the side portions of the brace portion for receiving an article for display.

3. A display stand formed by folding and having a display panel, a supporting base having a free end edge and a transverse slot near said edge, a brace portion foldably con nected to the panel and said base, and a freehanging strut extension on the panel. having near its end a stop tab and a foldable portion of the strut extension at the end of said extension adjacent to said tab, the brace portion having side portions spaced apart by said extension, the supporting base being foldable' to position underlying the brace portion so that the free end edge of the base is located rearwardly of the line of foldable connection of the braceportion to the panel and the-panel is substantially at right angles to the supporting base when the panel is in display position, said step tab and adjacent foldable portion and the main portion of the strut extension when the supporting base is thus positioned being insertible in said transverse slot and slidably movable therein, said step tab being bendable in one direction and said foldable portion bendable in the reverse direction to lie flat on the under side of the supporting base for retaining the strut extension in said slot and the strut extension cooperating with the brace portion for providing space on the supporting base between the side portions of the brace portion for receiving an article for display.

4. A display stand formed by folding a blank and having an upper panel. a brace portion connected to the lower edge of the panel at two alined lines of scoring, said brace portion having side portions spaced apart by acut portion of the blank providing a strut extension on the panel, a supporting base connected to the brace portion by a fold line and disposable under the brace portion and provided near its free end edge with a slotfor slidably receiving the strut extension, and stop means on said extension insertible insai d slot and engageable with the under side of the supporting base, said stand being collapsible upon movement of said strut extension through said slot.

5. A display stand formed by folding and having a display panel, a supporting base, a brace portion cooperating between the panel and said base, and strut means cooperating between the panel and supporting base for maintaining the panel in display position, means provided on said base whereby said strut means is adapted to be slidably engagc able with said base whereby the base is slidably movable along on said strut means in one direction for ipsing the stand and slizlably movable on said strut means in the reverse direction for erecting the stand after collapse.

6. A display stand formed by folding and having a display panel, a supporting base, a brace portion cooperating between the panel and said base, and means cooperating between the display panel and supporting base for maintain the panel in display position, said means being slidably eng cable with said base and adapted for permitting sliding movement of the base along said means in one direction for disposing the base substantially flat against said brace portion and disposing said means substantially fiat against said base for collapsing the stand and permitting sliding movementof the base along said means in the reverse direction for erecting the s 'and after collapse.

7. A blank for forming-a display stand by folding the blank on the scoring and cuts thereof, said blank being of substantially oblong shape and having a panel section, a brace section defined from the panel section by spaced alined transverse scorings, a strut section forn ed by parallel longitudinal cuts cxteni'lino "roni the spaced ends of said scorings at r llangles to the scorings and in di rection a ay from the panel section and connected by a transverse cut, said strut section spacing apart side portions of the brace section. and a supporting base section defined from the brace section by a trar so scoring and bav g a transverse slot, said strut secslidabl engageable in said slot, with said base whereby said base is movable along said strut to collapse said stand.

8. A blank for forming a display stand by folding the blank on the scoring and cuts thereof, said blank being of substantially oblong shape and having a panel section, a l-uzlCG section defined from the panel section by space. alined transverse scorings, a strut section armed by parallel longitudinal cuts extending from the spaced ends of said scorino's right angles to the scorings and connected by a transverse cut; said strut section spacing apart side portions of the brace section, and a supporting base section defined from the brace section by a. transverse scoring and having a transverse slot, said strut section being slidably engageable in said slot, with said base whereby said base is movable along said strut to collapse said stand; and said strut being provided at its end with means for retaining the strut section in the slot.

9. A blank for forming a display stand by folding the blank on the scorings and cuts thereof, said blank being of substantially oblong shape and having a panel section, a brace section defined from the panel section by spaced alined transverse seorings, a strut section formed by parallel longitudinal cuts extending from the spaced ends of said scorings at right angles to the scorings and connected by a transverse cut, said strut section spacing apart side portions of the brace section, and a supporting base section defined from the brace section by a transverse scoring and having a transverse slot near its free end edge, said strut section extending into the supporting base section and being slidably engageable in said slot and provided With a lock tab and a foldable end portion of the strut section adjacent said tab engageable with the outer face of the supporting base section for retaining the strut section in said slot.

10. A display stand formed by folding and including a display panel, a supporting base, and a free-hanging strut cooperating between said panel and supporting base, said supporting ba e being slidably movable along said strut in one direction for collapsing the stand when the stand is in assembled erect position and slidably movable along said strut in direction reverse to the first direction for erecting the stand when the stand is in assembled collapsed position.

ll. A display stand formed by folding and including a. display panel, a supporting base having a slot "herein, and a free-hanging strut cooperating between said panel and base and i sertible at its free end in said slot and provided at its free end with means engaging the under si "face of the supporting base for prevem ing withdr wal of the strut from said slot, said supporting base being slidably movable on said strut in one direction for collapsing the stand when the stand is in assembled erect position and slidably movable on said strut in direction reverse to the first direction for erecting the stand when the stand in assembled collapsed position.

12. A blank for forming a display stand by folding the blank on the scoring and cuts thereof, said blank being of substantially oblong shape and having a panel section, a brace section defined from the panel section by spaced alined transverse scorings, a strut section formed by parallel longitudinal cuts eXtendin-g from the spaced ends of said scort it angles to the scorings and con- 11 's (he 11,- nected at the opposite end of the strut section b a transverse slot said strut section s acin able with the under side of the base section for retaining the strut section in said slot and permitting said slidable movement of the strut section.

Signed at Chicago in the county of Cook and state of Illinois this 29th day of September A. D. 1925.

OSCAR J. TO'WELL. 

